Newsletter: Issue 13, August 2011
???aural:Bildanfang???
???aural:Bildende???
Dear Readers,
Science and research depend on transnational networks and international cooperation. Germany sees itself as an important partner in this context, and with this Newsletter we would like to give added momentum to the dialogue with other countries. We have just recently expanded our collaboration with China, a country with which we share many years of scientific and technical cooperation. At the first Sino-German intergovernmental consultations in Berlin we signed six new agreements on educational and research issues, underlining that both are focal points of the Sino-German relations.
We are also striving for closer interaction and new forms of cooperation with Russia. The German-Russian Year of Education, Science and Innovation in 2011/2012 seeks to highlight the already successful cooperation between universities, research institutions and companies – and to help intensify it further in the future. We aim to promote ideas on the future-oriented development of relations by focusing on four areas: basic research, bilateral training partnerships, applied research and the fostering of young scientific talents.
Prof. Dr. Annette Schavan, MdB
Federal Minister of Education and Research
Interview
An interview with the two Professors Fumiko and Toshiki Tajima from Japan, who work at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich, about Germany as an attractive destination for a researcher couple from abroad and their work at LMU.
Science & Research News
Mental stress increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich recently found evidence of negative changes in nerve cells that can lead to Alzheimer's.
Innovation in aviation: Siemens technology group, aircraft builder Diamond Aircraft and the EADS aerospace group presented the world's first hybrid plane with an electric motor at the 2011 Paris Air Show Le Bourget.
Scientists from the Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have used a new technique to construct a more powerful nano-magnetic switch. The researchers built the nano-magnetic switch by applying synthetic adhesives to magnetic molecules in such a way that the latter then docked onto the proper positions on a nanotube without any intervention.
Recent Research Cooperation
Fresh momentum for interaction and the exchange of ideas: Russia and Germany want to expand their cooperation and to build new forms of cooperation with a common Year of Education, Science and Innovation in 2011/2012.
With six joint agreements on cooperation in education and research, Germany and China intend to expand their relations in this field. Among other things, the two countries wish to cooperate closely on improving vocational education in the future.
In early 2012, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) will be launching a country campaign in Russia as another key activity of its "Promoting Innovation in Germany" initiative under the "Research in Germany" brand.
Latest R&D Funding Programmes and Activities
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is looking for outstanding international researchers in different disciplines as recipients of the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award. The honour, which is linked with the award of 45,000 euros, is granted to up to 25 scientists and scholars from outside Germany each year.
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Europe's largest applied-research organisation, recently honoured four scientists at German research institutions with the German High Tech Champions Award (GHTC) for their outstanding business ideas in solar energy research.
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation awards up to twenty International Climate Protection Fellowships to prospective leaders from threshold or developing countries who are engaged in climate protection and resource conservation in academia or business, government or non-governmental organisations.
Current R&D Policy
The goal of the new network of six German Centres for Health Research (DZG) is to create excellent research conditions for combating the most widespread diseases and to improve prevention and innovative therapies for patients with commonly occurring diseases like cancer, cardiovascular complaints, metabolic problems and infectious, lung and neurodegenerative diseases.
Last but not least...
Infidelity is widespread among female song birds, and some of them actively seek affairs with other birds. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology have now researched this phenomenon by studying monogamous zebra finches and found a possible explanation.
Events
International manufacturers of production technology will be introducing themselves to potential customers at EMO Hannover from 19 to 24 September 2011. The world's premier metalworking fair presents the entire range of modern metalworking technology.
For the first time 60 alumni of seven major German research funding and research facilitating organisations have been invited by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to participate in an exclusive conference which will be the launch of a cross-organisational Network of Research Alumni in the US.
The World Forum for Medicine will be taking place at the Duesseldorf Trade Fair Centre from 16 to 19 November 2011 during Medica 2011. The main emphases of the international fair range from medical and laboratory technology to physiotherapy and medical services.
In its third year the two-day career event will offer Chinese graduate students a platform to learn more about PhD and research opportunities in foreign countries.
Jump directly:
to the main navigation,
to the top of the page
